Indian husband of Sarabjit Kaur, alias Noor Hussain, moves Lahore HC to nullify wife’s nikah in Pakistan, alleges forced conversion
PTC Web Desk: An Indian national, Karnal Singh, has filed a fresh petition before the Lahore High Court seeking nullification of the nikah of his wife, Sarabjit Kaur, alias Noor Hussain, with a Pakistani citizen, Nasir Hussain. The petition has been moved through Advocate Ali Changezi Sandhu.
According to the plea, Karnal Singh has challenged the validity of Sarabjit Kaur’s marriage to Nasir Hussain on the grounds that she allegedly failed to follow the legal and constitutional procedure required for a married non-Muslim woman to marry a Muslim man after conversion.
Advocate Ali Changezi Sandhu submitted that constitutional courts in Pakistan, particularly the Federal Shariat Court, have laid down specific principles in such cases. As per these principles, a married non-Muslim woman intending to convert and marry a Muslim man must first obtain a judicial divorce in accordance with her domestic laws. Additionally, she is required to invite her non-Muslim husband to embrace Islam in the presence of two witnesses and wait for a period of 90 days. If the husband refuses to convert, the marriage may then be dissolved, after which she may contract a valid marriage with a Muslim man.
The petition contends that Sarabjit Kaur did not secure a divorce from Karnal Singh before entering into the subsequent marriage. It argues that her earlier marriage remains legally intact and that any cohabitation or physical relationship based on the later nikah would fall within the ambit of “Zina” under Islamic jurisprudence. The petitioner has sought initiation of criminal proceedings against Nasir Hussain on these grounds.
Karnal Singh has further requested the court to direct the deportation of Sarabjit Kaur and to initiate rape proceedings against Nasir Hussain, alleging that the Nikkah was conducted in violation of Islamic principles governing contract marriage with a woman already married.
The plea also alleges violations of the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the conditions of a pilgrimage visa. The petitioner has maintained that the marriage between Karnal Singh and Sarabjit Kaur is still subsisting, as no legal divorce has been obtained.
In addition, allegations of forced conversion have been raised in the petition. Advocate Sandhu stated that documentary evidence, including financial records and digital material, has been annexed to substantiate the claims. The petition also seeks an investigation into allegations that private photographs and videos of Sarabjit Kaur were shared with her relatives.
The petitioner has requested the court to place Sarabjit Kaur in a women’s shelter home until the matter is decided. He has also sought permission for telephonic contact between Sarabjit Kaur and her children, along with a voice forensic examination of certain call recordings submitted as evidence.
The matter is expected to come up for hearing before the Lahore High Court in due course.
- PTC NEWS
